Cathy Stratton

The New Hampshire Medical Society supports HB 1638. While step therapy protocols are designed to standardize care and as cost-containment tools, they often delay patients’ access to the most appropriate care. These “fail first” requirements can undermine clinical judgment and create significant administrative and clinical burdens, resulting in unnecessary treatments, additional testing, and avoidable office visits. For some patients, step therapy can mean delayed treatment, disease progression, and ultimately greater human and financial costs to the healthcare system. The New Hampshire Medical Society believes that physicians’ medical training, education, and experience provide them with a unique and comprehensive understanding of their patients’ individual needs. A carrier’s step therapy protocol should not override or substitute for a physician’s clinical judgment, diagnosis, and evidence-based medical recommendations. Ensuring that clinical judgement enters into each evaluation, treatment, and diagnosis is vital to effective medical care. For this reason, we support the spirit of HB 1638 that enables physicians and other clinicians to use their training expertise and patient knowledge to best diagnose and treat patients, even if it means bypassing some of the lower cost steps identified by insurers. We respectfully urge the committee to vote ought to pass on HB 1638. Thank you for consideration of our testimony.